1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fanning and cooling devices, more specifically to a device used to fan and cool comestibles (foods and edible liquids).
2. Description of Prior Art
Heretofore, there has been no quick, easy, efficient and interesting way to cool hot foods or liquids conveniently while, for example, sitting at the dinner table after the food or liquid (i.e.; soup, spaghetti, coffee) has already been prepared and served.
Until now efforts to cool food or liquid that is too hot for the eater to eat has been limited to either putting ice in/on the hot food or liquid, blowing breath on the hot food or liquid by the eater, or just waiting until the hot food or liquid cools down sufficiently to enable comfortable ingestion.
These methods have many disadvantages which the present invention avoids:
1--Putting ice on/in the hot food or liquid causes food to get "soggy" and liquid to get "watered down".
2--Just waiting is time consuming and frustrating if the eater is either impatient, hungry, or in a rush, such frustration possibly leading to bad moods, strained relationships, fits of anger or high blood pressure and it's related symptoms (i.e.; strokes or heart attacks).
3--Blowing breath on the hot food or liquid by the eater, probably the most common method used by eaters, contains such disadvantages as: a--the stream of breath is intermittent due to the limited capacity of human lungs. b--the stream of breath is not always accurate, sometimes missing the hot food or liquid altogether, thus providing an inefficient means of cooling and a less-than-optimal method of cooling given the amount of breath blown. c--the eater may suffer adverse health effects from blowing his breath, such as dizziness, nausea, or feinting resulting from hyperventilation or hypoventilation. d--because of reasons (a) and (b) discussed above, cooling of hot food or liquid takes longer than perhaps the eater wants to wait before ingesting his meal, leading to frustration and it's ill-effects discussed above. e--if the eater's breath is either misdirected or too forceful, the hot food or liquid being blown on can easily be blown off/out of it's holding device (i.e.; fork, spoon, bowl, cup, etc.) which can result in wasted food and liquids, leading to a further decreased world food supply and resulting starvation of the poorer peoples on earth as well as the decreased economic well being of the eater due to his own increased food costs. Furthermore, hot food or liquid that is blown off/out of it's holder can be dangerous, leading to possible injuries such as scalding, burning, or injuries resulting from the fear of getting burned or scalded such as jumping incorrectly from ones chair or pulling a muscle from quick, jerky movements resulting from trying to withdraw ones body from the direction of the moving/flying hot food or liquid which has been blown off/out of it's holder.
4--Present cutlery and other food and liquid holding devices are non-novel, increasing boredom while eating, resulting in a possibly less-than-exciting eating experience, and possible overeating by the eater due to the eater being bored.
The prior art contains many fanning devices, but none of these are made specifically for the fanning of food and liquids as the present invention is, nor do any of these prior art patents make any reference to their being used to that extent. Further, none of the prior art patents are designed for the same ease of use or towards simple, one-handed use as the present invention is. Additionally, none of the prior art patents contain the resilient "on" and "off" switch of the present invention which adds to ease of use. Neither do any mention that they be used as food or liquid cooling devices.
A search of the preliminary class and subclass 222/402.1 (given in the parent application "Food and Liquid Fanning Device" patent pending 07/486,812 to the device presently being applied for) reveals no similar prior art using compressed air or the like. However, two examples of fanning devices are Thomas' "Battery Operated Fanning Device", U.S. Pat. No. 3,647,323 and Zeigler's "Barbecue Blower" U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,750, both of which are designed to fan a fire or charcoal. Neither make any mention of being used to fan food or liquid nor do either mention that they may be modified to do so, showing that the present invention and it's uses were unobvious to those skilled in the art. The present invention further distinguishes itself from these examples of the closest prior art in many other ways; for example, the resilient "on" and "off" switch of the present invention is easier to use than the on and off switches of the prior art in that it allows one-handed, even one fingered (the thumb) operation, whereas the prior art's switches are more complicated to switch on and off, and if used in the context or situation of the present invention would be likely to cause spillage or droppage of the food or liquid being held by the cutlery or similar holding device, as well as create a difficulty of use that might deter a potential user.
Further, the present invention is less obtrusive, because of it's compact cylindrical shape, than the prior art, and thus better suited for the situation that the present invention is designed for, namely the fanning and cooling of foods and liquids.
The Inventor contends that because of these and other differences which will become obvious upon further inspection of the present invention, the present invention thus distinguishes itself in it's novelty over the prior art.